THE ALL BLACKS

Manawatu Standard, Volume LV, Issue 258, 28 September 1935, Page 9

THE ALL BLACKS

TEAM FOR TO-DAY. REARRANGEMENT MADE. OLIVER OUT OF ACTION. (United Press Association—By Electric < Telegraph.—Copyright.) Received. September 28, 9.10 a.m. LONDON, Aug. 27. Oliver is suffering from a badly bruised thigh muscle and is not playing with the All Blacks against Swansea. Gilbert will go to centre, and Solomon to fullback. If this replacement is unsuccessful, k,Gilbert becomes full-back, Caughey Centre, and Solomon five-eighth. a familiaiTground.

ALL BLACKS AT SWANSEA. (By “Cross Bar.”) The Swansea ground, where the All Blacks play to-day, is an area quite well known to a number of New Zealanders, for apart from the fact that both the 1905 and 1924 All Blacks visited this 'Welsh centre, several N.Z.E.F. teams journeyed into Wales during the War to play friendly matches. Presuming it to be the same ground, the writer has memories of it being an excellent playing area with a good turf—a direct contrast to Cardiff, where the ground is surrounded by lines of stone residences, and by reason of which the ground surface was apt to become heavy after rain. The Swansea Club is one with a great record behind it, and there in 1905 the All Blacks had one narrow escape from defeat, a field goal by Wallace bringing them the victory by foul* points to three, the home points being forthcoming from an unconverted i try. Whereas the 1905 All Blacks met i Swansea in the final match of the tour jof Great Britain, the 1924 party played their fifth match at Swansea, as will the 1935 All Blacks. Although Swansea gave the New Zealanders some anxious moments in the early stages of the 1924 match, the All Blacks slowly but surely took control to run out winners by the substantial total of 39 points to 3. Steel registered four crossings, Lucas two, and Irvine, Brown and M. Brownlie one each, while Nicholls kicked a field [goal and added the major points to i four of the tries. The three points i credited to Swansea came from a penalty goal by Dai Parker (who came ito New Zealand with the 1930 British team), the points being the first [to be debited against the tourists. The present party may find Swansea a more formidable force than did the 1924 team, for last year the Welsh Club enjoyed a good record. E. C. Davey, a big strong centre threequarter, led the side last year, while lie also captained "Wales. In the forwards were D. Thomas and T. Day, two Welsh representatives of the 1931 season, but they have not gained inclusion on this occasion. However, what contributed towards Swansea’s successes was the discovery of two brilliant schoolboy half-backs, H. Tanner and W. T. H. Davies, English newspapers predicting that Davies would wear the mantle of such geniuses as It. Jones and W. Trew. J. Idwal Rees, dashing winger, pjayed for Wales last season, but he lias been residing in Scotland and is apparently not available. Walcyn G. Thomas, who played with the Welsh pack from 1927 to 1933, is a member of both the Llanelly and Swansea Clubs, but he does not figure in the hame team for to-day. However, he may be found opposing the fern-leaf wearers when they meet Llanelly on October 22.